This next monster is an evil fey, but unusually, one who’s about fire and burning things to the ground instead of trickery, illusions, poison, or any of those other things normally associated with evil fey. It’s called the
kruel, which may not be the most imaginative of names, but it’s definitely apt and honestly a pretty interesting monster. I used it in a game once and it went well—but then again, I like playing evil fey.
Kruel
Dragon’s Bestiary, Dragon Magazine #187
Creature by Malcon Bowers; art by Tom Baxa
Once upon a time, it is said that there was a group of kindly fey folk who represented fire in the way that dryads represent trees and satyrs represent the power of song and dance. They were the fey of hearth and forge, and as such, were powerful and appreciated by mortals. But some of these fey began to become entranced by fire’s dangerous aspects. They stopped caring about fire’s life-giving aspects and lost themselves in the dancing flames. Over time, they changed, in mind, body, and soul, and took their current name, the
kruel, to reflect their new love of flame’s chaotic, destructive nature.
Noble Mein. Kruel believe themselves to be, and act like, noble fey. They resemble sharp-featured, green-skinned elves, although they have cow's ears and pure red eyes that contain a look of madness. They usually have wide, toothy grins on their faces. Their legs are bird-like, with long, sharp talons, and green scaled. Kruel typically dress in fanciful, brightly colored outfits, including feather-decorated hats, and when they speak, they do so with highly upper-crust accents and turns of phrase.
In reality, kruels are thieves and butchers. They enjoy stealing finery from others but can't help to ruin it with their gauche manners and lack of care. They often enslave others and turn them into “the help” in order to fuel their illusion of nobility. Kruels typically live in caves or rocky areas, or in stone houses, where they can burn things to their hearts’ content without having to worry about uncontrolled flames destroying their lair.
Fire Burns All. These fey are predators. They are vegetarians, surprisingly, but love the smell of burning flesh. They make nothing or themselves and steal everything they want from others, burning what they don’t want until its ash.
Pyromaniacs. Kruel enjoy watching things burn. However, they enjoy spreading the destruction out over a period of time—burning a farmstead one acre or cow at a time—in order to keep the fun going for as long as possible.
Climate/Terrain: temperate; forest, hill, settlement
Legends and Lore
With an Arcana check, the characters can learn the following:
DC 10. Kruels are pyromaniacal fey who love to steal and burn. They typically dwell on the outskirts of civilization.
DC 15. Kruels typically dwell on the outskirts of civilization. Being chaotic creatures, they may ignore a nearby
DC 20. These fey can cause any blade they wield to burst into flame and can turn a pebble into a burning coal with a touch.
Kruel Encounters
CR 0-2 1 kruel
Treasure: 50 gp, silver bangle (25 gp), cask of ale (2 gp), a scared, half-dead donkey
CR 3-4 1 kruel and 1-2 salamander nymphs
Treasure: 40 gp, 320 sp, 2 gold rings (75 gp each), masterwork scythe (126 gp),
potions of diminution
CR 5-10 1-2 kruels and 1 fire elemental
Treasure: 300 gp, 5 onyxes (50 gp each), three sets of fine clothes (15 gp each), gold and ruby pendant (750 gp),
aerodite of the autumn queen’s true name, dust of sneezing and choking
CR 11-16 1 kruel and 1 pyrohydra
Treasure: 5,000 sp, 400 gp, 8 ambers (100 gp each), a jar of preserved eyes taken from unusual creatures (Narrator’s discretion, may be used when enchanting magic items or researching rare spells), cloak lined with enchanted winter wolf fur; grants advantage on saving throws made to resist taking exhaustion due to cold weather (250 gp),
feather token (whip), 2
restorative ointments
Signs
1. A pile of rocks. If touched, they are red-hot and inflict 1 fire damage.
2. A “help wanted” sign from a local farming community, desperate for someone to stop the arsonist who has been plaguing them.
3. A badly-burned, but still living, humanoid or farm beast.
4. A farmhouse on fire.
Behavior
1. Approaching the party, seeking to trade. Anything they have to offer has been stolen from people nearby.
2. Setting animals’ tails on fire and laughing while they run around in panic
3. Stalking the party, looking for weaknesses
4. Preparing to “prank” a family.
Kruel
Medium fey; CR 2 (450 XP)
AC 15 (natural armor)
HP 42 (5d8+20; bloodied 21)
Speed 40 ft.
STR 12 (+1)
DEX 17 (+3)
CON 18 (+4)
INT 11 (+0)
WIS 11 (+0)
CHA 16 (+3)
Proficiency +2;
Maneuver DC 13
Saving Throws Dex +5
Skills Perception +2, Performance +5, Persuasion +5, Sleight of Hand +5
Damage Immunities fire
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception
Languages Common, Ignan, Sylvan
Fiery Aura (1/day). An aura of flame surrounds the kruel for 1 minute. A creature that ends its turn within 5 feet of the kruel, touches it, or hits it with a melee weapon while within 5 feet of it takes 5 (1d10) fire damage. The kruel sheds bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet.
Innate Spellcasting. Its spellcasting trait is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks).
At will:
prestidigitation, produce flame
3/day:
alter self (as 5th-level spell)
Actions
Multiattack. The kruel makes two attacks.
Coal. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 120 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (2d4) fire damage, and the target it set on fire and takes 2 (1d4) fire damage at the start of the kruel’s next turn.
Flaming Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 6 (1d6+3) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) fire damage.
Produce Flame (Cantrip; V, S). Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 30 ft., one target.
Hit: 9 (2d8) fire damage
Bonus Actions
Artful Dodger. The kruel takes the Dodge action.
Ignite. The kruel can use its action to touch up to three pebbles and cause them to become red-hot for 1 minute. It can then throw them with its Coal action. A creature other than the kruel takes 1 fire damage if it touches a pebble, and the pebble will ignite flammable objects that it touches. Optionally, it can cause a weapon it is holding to burst into flames, which inflict an additional 3 (1d6) fire damage on a hit.
Combat
Kruels stay as far away from their opponents as they can, hurling coals and using
produce flame to attack from afar. If they are forced into melee combat, they use Dodge as a bonus action to prevent themselves from being harmed, and will flee using
alter self to create a winged or aquatic form to escape when bloodied.
